BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1281

By: Wilson

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

State law was recently changed to require golf carts and other off-road vehicles to obtain license plates to operate on highways. The bill applied statewide but was written to address an issue in coastal towns where these vehicles were driving on highways and causing accidents. This unintentionally burdened residential, master planned communities that are designed with golf cart transportation in mind. These communities are often built to accommodate golf cart drivers, ensuring safe operation with slow speed limits, golf paths, and other targeted measures. H.B. 1281 seeks to provide regional flexibility for people in these communities to use golf carts without obtaining a license plate.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1281 amends the Transportation Code to authorize the operation of a neighborhood electric vehicle and a golf cart in a master planned community that is a residential subdivision and for which a county or municipality has approved one or more plats. The bill establishes that in a master planned community where the operation of a golf cart is authorized by law, a person may operate a golf cart without a golf cart license plate. The bill clarifies the authority of a municipality, a county, or the Texas Department of Transportation to prohibit the operation of a golf cart on a highway on determining that the prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.